Predators open shortened season with 2 home games

Sunday

Jan 13, 2013 at 10:40 AMJan 13, 2013 at 10:42 AM

NASHVILLE — The Nashville Predators will open the season Jan. 19, hosting the Columbus Blue Jackets followed by a second straight home game against St. Louis before hitting the road for two weeks under a 48-game schedule released Saturday night by the NHL.

The Predators play Columbus and Chicago five times but only four against Detroit and St. Louis. How much that helps the Predators, the West’s No. 4 seed last season, reach the playoffs for the eighth time in nine seasons remains to be seen. But Nashville is 31-5-3 against Columbus since the 2006-07 season.

Nashville will play all other Western Conference teams three times each, hosting Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Phoenix and Dallas twice. That puts the Predators traveling to Minnesota, Colorado, Anaheim, Los Angeles and San Jose twice.

“We are extremely excited to get this season started and welcome back our citizens of Smashville,” Predators chief executive officer Jeff Cogen said in a statement.

The circus is why the Predators must hit the road after the first two games for a seven-game road trip that will be the longest of the season. New Predators defenseman Scott Hannan said that trip will give the team more time to bond together after a one-week training camp.

The Predators also take a five-game road trip in March when Bridgestone Arena is busy hosting the Southeastern Conference’s men’s basketball tournament, a swing that will take them into Canada for visits to Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton before wrapping up March 19 at Columbus.

Nashville will play Detroit, the team the Predators ousted from the playoffs in the opening round last season, twice in the final six games. The Predators host Detroit April 14 and visit the Red Wings on April 25 before wrapping up the regular season on the road April 27 at Columbus. Their final home game of the regular season will be April 23 hosting Calgary.

The Predators open training camp Sunday with the first practice Monday, and all five practices will be open to the public.